Growing without rockwool

I was wondering, has anyone ever started their seeds in a dwc setup without the rockwool? Just a seed placed within the expanded clay. I read a few times in a few threads about people doing it, and I was wondering if it would be a viable option.

Whats the point, you could lose the seed, Rockwool will help keep the seed moist

~CReePeR~ said:

Whats the point, you could lose the seed, Rockwool will help keep the seed moist

Click to expand...

Honestly I have a hard time with the rockwool. I either go too moist or too dry, like it's messing with my head.

Fuk rockwool i hate that stuff & have zero luck with it , i grow flood n drain using clones grown in root riot sponge cubes vs rockwool , you can plant seeds directly into root riot sponge cubes,wet the cubes one time then put them into a sealed humidome someplace warm, just look at the cubes once a day & its easy to see with the naked eye weather the sponge cubes are still moist or not , just keep the cubes moist with a spray bottle & in the humidome & your all set .

Leave the sprouted seedlings in the humidome & keep moist until roots are sticking out a few inches from the sponge cubes then put the sponge into net pots & fill the pot with hydroton or your medium of choice & your ready to go , ive had excellent & reliable results using Root Riot sponge cubes & being the cubes are less than an inch round its nearly impossible to over water .

Forget the rw and the stones, use a netpot and a foam collar, works perfect

superstoner1 said:

Forget the rw and the stones, use a netpot and a foam collar, works perfect

Click to expand...

Yup,,, just start the seed in a paper towel and after it is about 2 to 3 inches long, grab a neoprene collar and presto done. No need for rapid rooters, plugs or rockwool

I started my tomatoes in rockwool and it was a disaster. It soaked too much water once it was put in a system (18W air pump is a bit overkill for 5 gal res) and roots started drowning. I got them out and straight into hydroton and they are starting to recover slowly. Next time I'll cut just a small piece of rockwol to dig my seed in, put it in a netpot with hydroton, and water it by hand untill roots are established in hydroton. I'll then just break rockwool apart carefully and put plants into DWC.

Tomatoes? This is weed we grow here.

Ah, sorry, I thought you all grew tomatoes

I used to go clone in neoprene pipe wrap from Lowes 3 bucks makes a hundred or so collars. Been trying to figure out how to get a seed in there myself

Drill a small hole in center(big enough for tap root) and then use a larger bit to drill about 70-80% through and then slice through one side from center out to be able to open it like a pacman. This creates a hollow where popped seed can be placed with tap hanging down by opening the slice.

Once the rockwool has been soaked it will hold enough water for days, after a few days just water like 5ml of water over the rockwool.
Sounds like they drowned

I had a bad rockwool experience just recently and ive been using it for years. Lost a couple good seedlings. Put the rockwool to close to the bottom of the netpot in dwc never got a chance to dry Blamo! Root rot.
Been looking for this info thanks guys. Gonna maybe try root riots